the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

seventy nine

friday 9th october 1959

penelope

johns birthday.

the big one nine.

penelope had been super sweet to him all day, like usual, but more so if possible.

john couldn't stop grinning like an idiot, it was the first time he'd thoroughly enjoyed his birthday without the added alcohol or company of bad people. he'd said from the beginning that he didn't want to do anything spectacular for his birthday and so penelope and him went to mimi's where she cooked them both dinner and had a blast absolutely embarrassing john with baby photographs. and then they drove out to see caleb where caleb presented john with one of his old but very rare guitars. john refused it at first saying that it was simply too much, but caleb insisted saying that he has no use for it anymore, and john absolutely loved it.

currently they sat on penelopes bed cross legged facing each other as they stuffed their faces with everything unhealthy - crisps, chocolate, sweets, cake - everything. their knees were touching and penelope couldn't stop touching john, from small brushes of their fingers or stolen pecks of kisses.

the time had just hit seven thirty and penelope was listening to john talk about an essay he was in the middle of writing when he had a sudden epiphany, "oh that reminds me i need some new stationery and boring shit, could we go out and get those tomorrow?" he asked and penelope nodded in reply and her eyes suddenly lit up.

"oh my god, you haven't even had your present off me!" she jumped off the bed, "i completely forgot, jesus can my girlfriending get any worse?"

"girlfriending?" john chuckled mocking her, "you didn't have to get me anything."

she walked over to her underwear draw and searched through it to the bottom of the drawer, "actually if it's coming from that draw i'll take anything," he winked making penelope roll her eyes blushing. she pulled out a thick square package and turned back round to john before climbing up next to him to resume their previous position.

"it's not much because i don't have a lot of money at the moment but-"

"you didn't have to get me anything babe - thank you."

she nodded and then passed him the present. she quickly moved all of the food packets off the bed and onto the floor before sitting up right so their knees were touching again.

he waited for her to stop moving about to begin opening to the present. he tore off the wrapping paper throwing it to the floor before dropping his eyes down to the gift. penelope bit her lip in anticipation as he stared at it, the gift was a leather bound notebook with a mixture of plain sketchbook type of paper and lined yellow tinted paper - quite aesthetically pleasing. in the bottom right corner the year '1959' was engraved into the leather.

"i was just thinking your other notebook is getting super full and you said before it's like your lifeline so i just thought that this looked perfect for you-" she rambled.

john finally looked up to her and cut her off by pushing his lips onto hers.

"i love it pen," he said pulling away, "i really love it."